Symptoms of Panic Attacks

A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning and without any obvious reason. It is far more intense than the feeling of being 'stressed out' that most people experience. Symptoms of a panic attack include:

racing heartbeat

difficulty breathing, feeling as though you 'can't get enough air'

terror that is almost paralyzing

dizziness, lightheadedness or nausea

trembling, sweating, shaking

choking, chest pains

hot flashes, or sudden chills

tingling in fingers or toes ('pins and needles')

fear that you're going to go crazy or are about to die

In addition to the above symptoms, a panic attack is marked by the following conditions:

It occurs suddenly, without any warning and without any way to stop it.

The level of fear is way out of proportion to the actual situation; often, in fact, it's completely unrelated.

It passes in a few minutes; the body cannot sustain the 'fight or flight' response for longer than that. However, repeated attacks can continue to recur for hours.

In fact, the phobias that people with panic disorder develop do not come from fears of actual objects or events, but rather from fear of having another attack. In these cases, people will avoid certain objects or situations because they fear that these things will trigger another attack.

How to Identify Panic Disorder:

It is important to recognize that only a competent therapist and spiritual healer can diagnose a panic disorder. However, there are certain signs which can help in this regard.

One study found that people sometimes see 100 or more doctors before being properly diagnosed, and that only one out of four people with the disorder receive the treatment they need. That's why it's important to know what the symptoms are, and to make sure you get the right help.

Many people experience occasional panic attacks, and if a person has had one or two such attacks, there probably isn't any reason to worry. The key symptom of panic disorder is the persistent fear of having future panic attacks. If you suffer from repeated (four or more) panic attacks, and especially if you have had a panic attack and are in continued fear of having another, these are signs that you should consider finding a mental health professional who specializes in panic or anxiety disorders.

What Causes Panic Disorder?

The research shows that the origin of panic attacks can be mind, body or both.

Body:

There may be a genetic predisposition to anxiety disorders; some sufferers report that a family member has or had a panic disorder or some other emotional disorder such as depression. Studies with twins have confirmed the possibility of 'genetic inheritance' of the disorder.

Panic Disorder could also be due to a biological malfunction, although a specific biological marker has yet to be identified.

All ethnic groups are vulnerable to panic disorder. For unknown reasons, women are twice as likely to get the disorder as men.

Mind:

Stressful life events can trigger panic disorders. One associations that has been noted is that of a recent loss or separation. Some researchers liken the 'life stressor' to a thermostat; that is, when stresses lower your resistance, the underlying physical predisposition kicks in and triggers an attack.

Both Mind & Body:

Physical and psychological causes of panic disorder work together. Although initially attacks may come out of the blue, eventually the sufferer may actually help bring them on by responding to physical symptoms of an attack.

For example, if a person with panic disorder experiences a racing heartbeat caused by drinking coffee, exercising, or taking a certain medication, they might interpret this as a symptom of an attack and, because of their anxiety, actually bring on the attack. On the other hand, coffee, exercise, and certain medications sometimes do, in fact, cause panic attacks. One of the most frustrating things for the panic sufferer is never knowing how to isolate the different triggers of an attack. That's why the right therapy for panic disorder focuses on all aspects - physical, psychological, and physiological - of the disorder.

Normalcy with Panic Attacks

The answer to this question is a resounding YES - if they receive treatment. Panic disorder is highly treatable, with a variety of physical and spiritual therapies. These treatments of ours are extremely effective, and most people who have successfully completed treatment can continue to experience situational avoidance or anxiety, and further treatment might be necessary in those cases. Once treated, panic disorder doesn’t lead to any permanent complications.

Side Effects of Panic Disorder:

Without treatment, panic disorder can have very serious consequences.

The immediate danger with panic disorder is that it can often lead to a phobia. That's because once you've suffered a panic attack, you may start to avoid situations like the one you were in when the attack occurred.

Many people with panic disorder show 'situational avoidance' associated with their panic attacks. For example, you might have an attack while driving, and start to avoid driving until you develop an actual phobia towards it. In worst case scenarios, people with panic disorder develop agoraphobia - fear of going outdoors - because they believe that by staying inside, they can avoid all situations that might provoke an attack, or where they might not be able to get help. The fear of an attack is so debilitating, they prefer to spend their lives locked inside their homes.

Even if you don't develop these extreme phobias, your quality of life can be severely damaged by untreated panic disorder. A recent study showed that people who suffer from panic disorder:

Are more prone to alcohol and other drug abuse

Have greater risk of attempting suicide

Spend more time in hospital emergency rooms

Spend less time on hobbies, sports and other satisfying activities

Tend to be financially dependent on others.

Report feeling emotionally and physically less healthy than non-sufferers.

Are afraid of driving more than a few miles away from home.

None of this needs to happen. Panic disorder can be treated successfully, and sufferers can go on to lead full and satisfying lives.

Treatment of Panic Attacks in Modern Psychology

In modern psychology most specialists agree that a combination of cognitive and behavioral therapies are the best treatment for panic disorder. Medication might also be appropriate in some cases.

The first part of therapy is largely informational; many people are greatly helped by simply understanding exactly what panic disorder is, and how many others suffer from it. Many people, who suffer from panic disorder are worried that their panic attacks mean they're 'going crazy' or that the panic might induce a heart attack. 'Cognitive restructuring' (changing one's way of thinking) helps replace those thoughts with more realistic, positive ways of viewing the attacks.

Cognitive therapy only helps the patient identify possible triggers for the attacks. The trigger in an individual case could be something like a thought, a situation, or something as subtle as a slight change in heartbeat. Once the patient understands that the panic attack is separate and independent of the trigger, that trigger begins to lose some of its power to induce an attack.

The behavioral components of the therapy can consist of what one group of clinicians has termed 'interceptive exposure'. This is similar to the systematic desensitization used to cure phobias, but what it focuses on is exposure to be actual physical sensations that someone experiences during a panic attack.

People with panic disorder are more afraid of the actual attack than they are of specific objects or events; for instance, their 'fear of flying' is not that the planes will crash but that they will have a panic attack in a place, like a plane, where they can't get to help. Others won't drink coffee or go to an overheated room because they're afraid that these might trigger the physical symptoms of a panic attack.

Interceptive exposure can help them go through the symptoms of an attack (elevated heart rate, hot flashes, sweating, and so on) in a controlled setting, and teach them that these symptoms need not develop into a full-blown attack. Behavioral therapy is also used to deal with the situational avoidance associated with panic attacks. One very effective treatment for phobias is in vivo exposure, which is in its simplest terms means breaking a fearful situation down into small manageable steps and doing them one at a time until the most difficult level is mastered.

Relaxation techniques can further help someone 'flow through' an attack. These techniques include breathing retraining and positive visualization. Some experts have found that people with panic disorder tend to have slightly higher than average breathing rates, learning to slow this can help someone deal with a panic attack and can also prevent future attacks.

In some cases, medications may also be needed. Anti-anxiety medications may be prescribed, as well as antidepressants, and sometimes even heart medications (such as beta blockers) that are used to control irregular heartbeats.

Finally, a support group with others who suffer from panic disorder is used as helping tool. It can't take the place of therapy, but it can be a useful adjunct.

Our Methodology Of Treatment Of Panic Attacks

We use the following two types of methods for the treatment of the panic attacks:

a. Metaphysical Methods

b. Physical Methods

1. Praying Method

2. Concentration Method

3. Meditation Method

4. Rythematic Method

5. Charity and Alms Method

6. Musical Programs Method

b. Physical Methods

1. Breath Method

2. Voice Method

3. Treatment through Enquiry

4. Telephonic Method

5. Eyes Contact Method

6. Method of Physical Exercise

Now we are explaining these methods in detail:

a. Metaphysical Method

1. Praying Method:

Worshiping and praying to Almighty Allah is the most effective way to treat all types of diseases. In this method the patients are taught specific methods to pray to Almighty Allah, and they feel much relaxation in their panic attacks.

2. Concentration Method

Patients suffering from panic attacks need specific concentration. If such patients are not given due attention they deteriorate more. When a patient comes for healing, he is given specific concentration by the spiritual healer. The concentration can be given individually as well as in gathering. The patient feels inner construction and strength of belief. The concentration of spiritual healer and the belief strength of the patients helps to eradicate the effects of the panic attacks.

3. Meditation Method

This method is adopted in individual as well as ion gathering form. In his method the patient is advised to meditate about hi problem. The patient are also advised to recite some specific verses of eth Holy Quran. They meditate about the problems and recite the verses of the Holy Quran and the Glorious names of Almighty Allah, within limited time the patient feels himself normal and he gets rid of the effects of panic attacks.

4. Rythmetic Method

The method is used for those patients who become unconscious under the effects of panic attacks. Due to this method they turn to conscious. In this method the Quranic verses are recited with specific rhythm. Under the effects of these verses senseless and unconscious person turns to senses and starts an active and normal life after getting rid of the panic attacks.

5. Charity and Alms Method

Alms-giving is not only a social activity, but it has a lot of spiritual and psychological effects. A patient suffering for m psychological problems like panic attacks is asked to give charity and alms in a specific pattern. This practice gives him the healing effects and he turns to normalcy.

6. Musical Program Method

Musical performance have deep effects on human personality. When some musical program under the auspices of a spiritual healer are performed it can help in treatment of psychological problems. The same effects are used to heal the adverse effects of eth panic attacks.

b. Physical Methods:

1. Breath Method

This method is based on the movement of breath. The Quranic verses are recited with the movements of breath. In this way these movements create a lot of healing effects and these haling effects empower patients to get rid of the panic attacks.

2. Voice Method

The method of voices are used for the treatment. The Quranic verses are recited loudly in a specific pattern. When the voice is produced in a specific pattern, it creates healing effects and the panic attacks patient starts improving gradually. The voice methods have different modes like:

i. Slow voice method

ii. Medium voice method

iii. Loud voice method

iv. Specific voice method

v. Compound voice method

The panic attack patient needs sharing of grief and sorrow. So, the enquiry of the nature and causes of panic attacks from the patients by the spiritual healer helps in understanding the diseases as well as liquidation of the panic attacks effects. The enquiry method is used to give the patient relaxation from the effects of panic attacks.

4. Telephone Method

Some panic attacks patients want to share their problems with the spiritual healer on telephone. In telephonic conversation the name of the patient and of his mother is asked. As per the nature of diseases and the nature of his nomenclature the remedy of his disease is proposed.

5. Eye Contact Method

The eyes of the spiritual healer are a source of spiritual power. In this method a contact between the eyes of the patient and spiritual healer is developed and the diseases like panic attack is cured.

6. Method of Physical Exercise

The physical exercise of different body parts have deep psychological as well as physical effects. The panic attack patient is advised to perform various types of physical exercises. The performance of these exercises under the supervision of spiritual healer results into health of the patient.

How Long Does Treatment Take?

Much of the success of treatment depends on ones willingness to carefully follow the outlined treatment plan. This is often multifaceted, and it may work overnight and it can take a time of four weeks, but if you stick with it, you should start to have noticeable improvement within the sessions of four weeks. If you continue to follow the program, within a limited time you will notice tremendous improvement.

We have treated hundreds of patients suffering from panic attacks and it offshoots. Our patients belong to a wide range of society consisting on common folk, businessmen, intellectuals, civil servants and other parts of society. It would be strange and surprising for you to know that most of our patients improved instantly while some took time of one week to four weeks. The affectivity of treatment methodology is obvious from the results which can be conformed by interviewing our patients.